A Great Divide
by chickadee3711
Summary: He was the valedictorian, the president of the Student Council, and the head of the Debate Team. There was no reason for him to acknowledge a loner from the Drama Club, yet he found himself drawn to the boy. Now he finds himself breaking down every social barrier he can to try and reach him. NezumixShion. Welcome back to high school, everybody. ON HAITUS.
1. Chapter 1

Neat little words inked in with black pen glared up at him as he heaved a heavy sigh. He would be staying late after school for a student council meeting according his planner.

Shion had been extra busy lately now that the debate club had started back up. He already had a part time job to manage without the stress of extracurricular activities. Every night he would come home to an awaiting porch light and his mother asleep on the living room couch. With a kiss to the exhausted woman's temple, he would drape a blanket across her body. As he surveyed the house he would normally see a plate of food on the table for him, covered in Saran wrap, and then topped off with a pink Sticky Note. The contents of the note were usually something along the lines of 'Don't forget to eat and shower. Finish your homework and get to bed soon. –Love, Mom.' When he saw the little heart scribbled beside his mom's signature he nearly cried. Guilt plagued him as he carried out the note's instructions, making sleep evade him when he actually had the chance. The cycle would start back over when he awoke in the morning, tired as ever.

He snapped the leather bound book closed and shoved it into his backpack. The bell already rung but he stayed in his seat, not wanting to go to his meeting. Still, if he was too late Safu would ream him out for it. With a heavy heart, Shion trudged down the empty hallways and listened to the distant voices of students in other clubs. In his head he listed off all of the different activities going on today. After all, he was in charge of making sure things were planned out correctly. Art Club, Drama Club, GSA, and the Wrestling Team were all supposed to be staying until five o'clock maximum. Normally the teachers would leave him to lock up after everything finished since they had full faith in him. He resented the fact that they trusted him so much, and that he couldn't say no to them.

The door to the student council room was already open, everyone seated inside and awaiting their president. Safu had taken his place at the podium and tried to get things started but nobody was really listening. She often complained that they didn't respect her they way they did him, and it irritated her to no end. Shion walked in and cleared his throat. The chattering silenced and all eyes were on him as he calmly moved to his usual position.

He nodded towards Safu in acknowledgement. "Thanks for starting things off for me," he said, then addressed the other council members, "now let me start off by reviewing the agenda."

* * *

And so it went. Another meeting started, another meeting adjourned. The clock read 5:45 when the final student had left the room. _So much for getting to work early_, he thought bitterly. Shion made his way towards the front doors and tried to enjoy the silence. He only got to sit in a quiet environment at his part time job at the library. Otherwise, he was stuck surrounded by people that all looked to him for advice and direction. So when he heard talking, he was less than pleased. Not only was this person ruining his solitude, but they were at school past the designated time.

Shion followed the sound until he was at the door to the auditorium. Pushing the large wooden door open, he found himself at the back of the large room, staring down the middle isle at a lit up stage. A figure stood illuminated under the spot lights with a folded over script in hand.

"Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing," the person said with a voice so full of emotion that Shion found himself moved by the performance. Whoever it was on stage was going over the script again, finger following their line. "I know that you're there, so go ahead and come out."

Shion was startled from his thoughts and walked nervously towards the stage. How did this person know he was watching? He hadn't made a single sound!

When he made it close enough, he could tell it was a boy in his grade, with cobalt blue hair that was up in a complicated looking knot. His grey eyes were studying Shion closely and so openly that it made him squirm. He opened his mouth to speak but the boy cut him off.

"So how did you enjoy the show?"

Well he certainly hadn't expected that. He thought that he was going to be reprimanded for not making himself known sooner. "Wh-What?" he squeaked, wishing he could control the tone of his voice.

"It was a monologue from Macbeth. That's the play we decided on for this year," the boy continued, stuffing the worn out script into an equally worn out backpack. "If you want to see more then you have to wait until the fifteenth."

With those last words, he jumped off the stage and sauntered past Shion, out the double doors. Shion stood there absolutely dumbfounded. He couldn't exactly comprehend what just happened to him, and standing alone in the auditorium made the entire thing seem somewhat surreal. Shaking his head as if to dislodge these bothersome thoughts, he dimmed the lights and locked up the doors before taking his own leave.

The sky above him was painted a deep orange which faded into a light purple, with pinks thrown into the mix as fluffy clouds. For the second time that day he was simply caught up in the moment. But his phone was buzzing with a call from his boss, and it just served to remind him that he forgot to tell the Macbeth kid that he couldn't stay at the school that late.

* * *

**Dustin O'Halloran, you never fail me. I listen to way too much of his music when I start doing this writing business.**

**Anyways, I hope you guys like this one. I have some fun ideas for it, but the only way I'm continuing is with a little love from the readers. Yes, that means you. Otherwise I have no way to know if people actually enjoy what I put out.**

**~Chickadee **


	2. Chapter 2

The scent of books, old and new, tainted the air around him, only permeated by the faint smell of leather bindings. Shion inhaled it deeply and held the novels in his arms tighter.

La Sixième was a small book store set on a quiet street corner. In the forty years that it stood in that spot, it never had more than ten people walk through its doors in one day. This fact surprised Shion a great deal. Being someone who loves to read, this quaint little shop was heaven to him. On top of that was the owner who, even in her old age, greeted every customer with gusto. She would hobble out to the front of the store each time she heard the bell ring just so she could say hello to the person entering. So when Shion came in to work every day, Ms. Dawson would appear from behind the shelves, waving her cane around in an enthusiastic hello. Said cane was currently jabbing him in the ribs.

"I didn't call you into work so you could snuggle with my books, you're here to put them back on the shelves, darling," Ms. Dawson said with a wheezing laugh. Shion smiled good naturedly at her.

"I'll be right on it, Ms. Dawson," he replied, checking the spine of the book in his hand so he could properly place it. "I just get so caught up in the atmosphere of this place sometimes."

His elderly employee laughed again, coughing into her fist afterwards. "What atmosphere? This musty old place has as much atmosphere as a hole in the ground."

"That's where you're wrong," Shion said, grinning. He walked to the classical section and continued to talk, knowing that Ms. Dawson would be able to hear him due to the size of La Sixième. "It's so cozy in here you just can't help but relax a little. The sun hits the windows just right too so at this time of day everything gets this golden look to it. And with all of the books stacked everywhere it makes you feel like you have all the time in the world to sit and read."

Someone behind him started clapping as he pushed a book up into its rightful spot. Shion looked up to see the boy from the auditorium standing there, a smirk tugging at his features. His entire body went rigid at the sight of him. During his little speech he hadn't even heard the bell signal his arrival.

"Very poetic," he said teasingly, making Shion flush. "You're a regular Shakespeare, aren't you?"

When Shion didn't respond, or move for that matter, the boy walked up behind him with his eyes scanning the shelves. Shion stayed as still as possible, feeling like a caged rabbit with the way his heart was beating. He squeezed his eyes shut when he felt the heat of another body stop directly behind him. _Oh God_, Shion thought, _he's going to- grab a book? _The boy was reaching above Shion's head to pluck a copy of _Gone with the Wind_ from the top shelf. Very faintly he was aware of the other male's chest brushing against the back of his cardigan. He wasn't aware they were in such a close proximity and his cheeks flushed from the realization.

"Well," he started, "I've found what I was looking for. Guess I'll be on my way."

The warmth disappeared from behind him and Shion let out a breath that he didn't know he was holding. He checked the spine on the next book, walking out towards the section for poetry. Passing by the counter he noticed Ms. Dawson having an energetic conversation with his classmate who was smiling politely.

"You should come around more often! It's been so long since this dreary shop has been graced with your presence," Ms. Dawson said with a playful grin.

"I'm in high school now, I don't have as much time as I used to."

"Nezumi! There is always time for a good book!"

_So his name is Nezumi?_ Shion noted mentally, so wrapped up in the scene unfolding before him that he didn't notice the lone dictionary at his feet and tripped. The first thing that registered was a pain in his cheek; what came to him next was the embarrassment of lying on the ground with his ass in the air in front of his suave classmate. Face burning, Shion scrambled to right himself.

"Oh dear! Shion are you alright?" Ms. Dawson crooned, leaning over the counter to get a better look at him. Nezumi just smirked and tucked the book under his arm.

"I'll be on my way Lorraine. I promise I'll come back to see you soon enough though," Nezumi said, taking one last amused look at Shion before leaving.

"Are you alright?" Ms. Dawson repeated once her customer had gone.

"I'm fine," Shion muttered, adjusting his cardigan and pulling his jeans up, a blush still staining his cheeks.

* * *

He had thought his day couldn't get any worse after his little mishap at work, but Shion was wrong. On his walk home he had gotten chased by a very angry dog, and then it started raining the second he shook the darn thing off.

Shion pushed open the front door and collapsed against the wall. He was exhausted, wet, and downright humiliated. Running a hand through his damp hair, he kicked off his shoes and padded to the kitchen. A lukewarm plate of Fettuccini Alfredo was sitting on his designated place mat with an orange note stuck to rim.

_Went shopping today and decided to make something fun for dinner. Wish you were here to share it._

_-Love, Mom_

A cold wave of guilt washed over him as he nibbled at the dish. He felt like a horrible son for never being there to spend time with his own mother. With his father dead, Shion was the only important thing left in his mother's life. Somehow, he was determined he would make things up to her somehow. Maybe he could take her somewhere nice, or just spend a day with her at home. Either one of those things would make her the happiest woman alive, he was sure of it.

With his dinner eaten and his homework completed, Shion climbed into bed to reflect on his day. So many things had happened that they all seemed to mesh together in a blur of light and color. Only one thing really stood out in his memory, and that was when he was caught between the bookshelf and Nezumi's lean body. The white button up shirt they had to wear for school hung from his shoulders in the greatest way, and it seemed that he never had it done up past the fifth button. It left just enough to the imagination that- _wait_. _Slow down_, Shion told himself, a hand covering his eyes as if to block out the vision. He'd talked to the boy all of twice and he was already having such intimate thoughts about him. His gut churned uncomfortably at this. Shion refused to let him think this anything other than hormones. It honestly made the most sense. Love, if that's what this tingling feeling was, at first sight was highly illogical if not impossible.

* * *

**Could it be that Shion is finally hitting puberty?! Nah, I doubt that. The day his voice gets lower is the day my cat will sing opera. **

**Anywho! I'm having fun with this one, so please let me know what you think :3**

**~Chickadee**


	3. Chapter 3

Despite going to this school for three years already, Shion could say that he was completely lost.

The new semester was starting and his entire schedule had changed, dragging him from his comfortable rut and pushing him into something new. He had only two classes that stayed the same. AP Government and Honors Psychology were the lone classes that he didn't have any real friends in, not that he had many anyways, so of course it made sense that they were the only ones remaining. Every other period was filled with a new course that he had chosen specifically to make his college applications look good or to get more credits. Shion had signed himself up for a Literary Movements class due to his love of books. The words 'Physical Education' stood out terrifyingly against the yellow of his paper though, making him slightly nauseous. This was all due to his counselor saying he needed another credit of gym or he wouldn't graduate, and he'd be damned if he didn't make it out of high school all because of that. It would be tough; Shion couldn't run a mile without doubling over and begging for a glass of water. Still, he'd fight through it for the sake of his diploma.

Shion let out a startled yelp as the bell sounded, letting him know that he was officially late to Literary Movements. He stumbled up the stairs, skidded around a corner, and prayed that he ended up in the correct English classroom.

Luck was on his side, apparently, as he looked up and saw Mr. Hart standing there with an expression caught somewhere between amusement and annoyance.

"And what excuse shall you be offering me for your tardiness, Shion?" he queried, nodding towards and empty seat in the third row, towards the middle of the room.

"I couldn't find the classroom," Shion mumbled as he did the walk of shame to his desk.

"So you mean to tell me that you, a senior, got lost on the way to a classroom? The classroom of a teacher that you've had twice before?"

"Yes," was the best Shion could manage.

"Well," Mr. Hart started, "I must say that's quite impressive. You never cease to amaze, Shion. But now that you're here we can begin! Let's start with a little guessing game, shall we?"

A few people scattered around the room groaned while others high-fived at the prospect of any sort of game.

"I'll say a line from a famous work, and you guess what work it is. Whoever gets it will receive extra-credit on our first test. Now listen carefully." Mr. Hart paused to clear his throat. "And when, with gladness in his face, he placed his hand upon my own, to comfort me, he drew me in among the hidden things. Here sighs and lamentations and loud cries were echoing across the starless air, so that, as soon as I set out, I wept. Strange utterances, horrible pronouncements, accents of anger, words of suffering, and voices shrill and faint, and beating hands-all went to make tumult that will whirl forever through that turbid, timeless air, like sand that eddies when a whirlwind swirls."

Shion was at loss, yet others seemed to have some sort of idea of what this passage was from as they huddled together in small groups. A single voice cut through the quiet chatter and silenced them all at once.

"Dante's Inferno, Canto III."

Everyone turned and zeroed in on the speaker who was seated in the fifth row, on the far side next to the window. When Shion finally turned he could feel the color drain from his face.

"To be even more specific, this was when Dante first approached the gates of Hell," Nezumi said, arms crossed in front of his chest and boots kicked up on the chair in front of him. He seemed more bored than anything as he recited these bits of information.

Mr. Hart applauded him graciously for his answer. "Correct! Thank you, Nezumi! Now class, that will be our first reading. The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri is an epic poem from the 14th century."

Shion knew his teacher was still talking, but he was too shocked at seeing Nezumi in the one class he had been excited about to pay attention. There was no way he could sit through this class everyday knowing that he was less than ten feet away from a boy who had seen him on the ground with his ass up. He just could not do it. Just thinking about it made his entire body go up a few degrees. Still, it didn't seem like Nezumi had realized that he was even in the same class. He continued to sit there and skim what looked like his script for Hamlet. Maybe there was hope for Shion yet.

Facing forward, Shion pulled out his textbook so he could keep up with the pace Mr. Hart was setting. Class continued without a problem even with the teacher speaking so quickly, too excited about having a student like Nezumi there. He was practically to the point of gushing when the bell finally rang.

Shion neatly placed everything in his backpack, giving his schedule a once over before getting up. He would've left but a warm hand on his hip stopped him.

"Look at what we have here. I hope you've stayed clear of misplaced dictionaries," Nezumi taunted from behind Shion. Mind and heart racing, he wondered why he always ended up with Nezumi behind him and practically speaking in his ear. It definitely wasn't helping his newly developed libido.

"Yeah," he squeaked pitifully. The chuckle that it drew from Nezumi made him tense up even more.

"Good. Wouldn't want you getting hurt now, would we?"

"No," Shion forced out. He tugged his sweater down as far as he could while still looking inconspicuous; if things kept up like this he wouldn't last very long.

"Well, it was nice seeing you," Nezumi said casually, moving gracefully around the snowy haired boy so he could exit the room. "I'm glad we have this class together."

And with that he was gone. Shion hurried for his next class and sat with his messenger bag in his lap, willing himself to calm down. The proximity between them before was nothing. It didn't mean anything. Nezumi was just trying to be friendly. That had to be it.

* * *

**Short chapter is short T.T but I needed a segue into the main plot. I apologize. **

**10 points for hormonally troubled Shion? Yes?**

**Ah, well. Hope ya like it, everyone. Sorry for the wait and the brevity of this chapter. I'll be better I promise!**

**~Chickadee**


End file.
